Chair



Nov. 23, 1937. VBENNETT 0 2,100,098

CHAIR Filed March 15, 1936 wLAw/ INVENTOR. E r v HwryE.Benr/,@Zz I BY MAL $1 A TTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 23, 1937 PATENT oFFice CHAIR u Hem-y E. Bennett, Grand Rapids, Mich. Application March 13, 1936', Serial No. 68588 6 Claims. (Cl. 155-479) The present invention relates to chairs; and its object is, generally, to provide a chair having improved yielding means for supporting the occupant in comfortable positions; and more particularly; to provide such yielding, means comprising a flexible sheet memberfand members for maintaining certain portions of the sheet member at. different degrees of-suspension 'than other portions thereof;,and--further, to provide such yielding means for supporting the weight of the occupant on the chairs seat; and further, to provide'such yielding means'for supporting; the rearward pressure of the occupant on the chairs back; and further, to provide such weight-sup v 5.1 6. porting and rear pressure-supporting means so combined that a comfortablesupport for the occupant is provided throughout; andiurther; to provide simple, economical and effective forms and specific constructions .for attaining-these en'ds. Q Q

These and any other and more specific objects hereinafter appearing are attained by, and the invention finds preferable embodiment in, the illustrative chair structure particularly described 25 in the body of this specification and illustrated by-the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational side view of a chair, its flexiblerback and seat being'shown in central vertical section taken on line l-|' of Figure 2, illustrating the same in the position assumed ,whenth e chairis occupied; 7 i m Figure 2 is a view thereof in perspective with the back and seat in said position certain parts i being broken away; i 4 i 35 Figure 3 is an elevational. front view of; one 7 of the chairs rear posts with parts carried thereby illustrated in their po'sition when: the chair is occupied, the flexible back of the chair being shown in vertical'section; 1 40 Figure-4 is a like view thereof but showing'said parts and back in their position when 'the'chair is unoccupied; i a

Figure 5, 6, 7 and 8 are sectional views of the same taken on horizontal planes corresponding respectively; 7 a 7 Figures 9, 10 and 11 are vertical sectional views of the chair taken on vertical planes corresponding to lines 9-9, l0|0 and II-ll respectively 7 50 of Figures 2 and 12,.illustrating the flexible seat FigureYIB is an elevational innerside view of like.

lateral side portions of the chair illustrating a modified construction, the flexible sheet being shown in section; v I

Figure 14 is a transverse sectional view of lateral side portions of the chair illustrating means .5 for adjusting the tension of the springs.

The main feature of my yielding support for th occupant of the chair is the provision of a flexible sh'eetmember supported adjacent its lateral edges by a pair of elongated comparatively rigid; mem '10 bars extending approximately parallelly with the lateral sides of the chair and mounted adjacent 7 their corresponding ends for inwardly yielding or spring-resisted movement. j

In the drawing is shown a chair having; a 15 base orframe including pairs of rear leg and back posts I, front legs 2, horizontal lateralside rails3 and horizontal front side-and rear side rails 4, 5. The chairs seat 6 and back tare, flexible sheet'members of fabric, leather or'the r This seat 6 is supported (and secured vas by nails) adjacent its lateral side edges by a pair of iorwardly-rearwardly extending comparatively rigid members or bars 8 mounted adjacent their correspondingends -i. e., their forward endsso that they may swing inwardly; i. e. toward each other, under the weight of the occupant of'the chair. These membersB; may be of various forms and may be thus s'wingably mounted in various Ways, some of which forms and ways being shown in the drawing. In Figures 9 and 12 thesemem- 'bers are pivotally mounted onvertical pintle pins members may be employed, some of whichare 40 7 shownin the drawings In Figure ,12 coiled springs indicated at 92 are employed pressing vbetween the side rails 3 and the freeirear'ends of said members, such springs beingalso shown a il m Fi e i In Figure 13 the leaf springs l I themselves provide' this yielding resistance to the inwardly swinging movement of the elongated members 8 and in addition, coiled springs indicated-at I2 like that shown in Figure 14 may be employed pressing between the lateral side rails 3 and the inner free ends of said members 8 In the modified construction shown in Figure 13 the leaf springs II have a slight torsional) flexure so that the members 8i carried thereby 1 swing not only inwardly but somewhat downwardly, wherefore the axis of the coiled springs I2 is inclined somewhat inwardly-downwardly.

V The inner ends of said springs are shown pressing against the brackets I4 mounted on the inner side of said cross rails 3 It will be seen that the weight of the occupant presses and bows downwardly the flexible seat 6 increasingly toward the rear of the chair and the free rear ends of the elongated members as indicated in Figures 10 and 11.

The chairs back 1 is also a flexible sheet member supported adjacent its lateral side edges by elongated comparatively rigid members extending upwardly-downwardly. In order that this flexible back may conform to the back of the occupant (indicated by dotted linel5 in Figure 1), a pair of such elongated members are provided seated in a rabbet It in the forward outer corner of each of the leg posts E of the chair. The members 8 8 of each of these pairs are suitably mounted adjacent their mutually adjacent ends for inwardly-swinging movement under the pressure of the back of the occupant, being thus mounted in the illustrated construction by pintle pins l1, l8 carried by the metallic members it secured as by nails to the leg posts.

' Such mounting is so vertically positioned as to correspond with the hollow of the back of the occupant as indicated in Figure 1. The inwardlyswinging movement of these elongated members 8 8 is yieldingly resisted by suitable means as the coiled springs I2 I2 pressing between the leg posts I and the free ends of said members as shown in Figures 3 and 4. A pair of upwardlydownwardly extending comparatively rigid members 8 on which the upper portion of the back I is supported adjacent its lateral edges respectively are hingedly mounted at 20 on the upper ends of the members 8 respectively for inwardly swinging movement to positions in which they may be stopped by stops 2|.

As indicated in some of the views, the flexible seat and'back members 5, I may be arranged to slidably bear on lateral side portions of the base or frame of the chair in the swinging movement of the elongated members.

Means for adjusting the tension of any of the coiled springs is shown in Figure 14, in which the threaded bolt 22 slidably mounted in the lateral side rail or rear post 23 of the chair and abutting at its end 24 against the swingable elongated member 25, carries a nut 25 between which and said base member the coiled spring I2 presses.

The invention being intended to be pointed out in the claims, is not to be limited to or by details of construction and arrangement of any particu-' lar embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawing or hereinbefore described.

1. In a chair, in combination: a base; a yielding support for the occupant comprising a flexible sheet member and a pair of elongated comparatively rigid members extending approximately parallelly with the lateral sides of the chair, in

supporting relation with the sheet member adjacent its lateral edges parallel therewith and pivotally mounted at one end for yielding inwardly swinging movement.

2. In a chair, in combination: a base; a yielding support for the occupant comprising a flexible sheet member and a pair of elongated comparasaid movement.

3. In a chair, in combination: a base; a yielding support for the occupant comprising a flexible sheet member and a pair of elongated comparatively rigid members extending approximately parallelly with the lateral sides of the chair, in supporting relation with the sheet member adjacent its lateral edges parallel therewith, and a pair of leaf springs mounted on the base adjacent its lateral sides, the elongated members being pivotally mounted at one end on the sides of said springs respectively forinwardly swinging movement against the pressure of said springs.

4. In a chair, in combination: a base; a yielding support for the occupant comprisinga flexible sheet member and a pair of elongated comparatively rigid members extending approximately parallelly with the lateral sides of the chair, in supportingrelation with the sheet member adjacent its lateral edges parallel therewith, and a pair of springs mounted on the base adjacent its lateral sides, the elongated members being pivotally mounted at one end on said springs respectively for'inwardly swinging movement against the pressure of said springs.

5. In a chair, in combination: a base; a yielding support for the occupant comprising a flexible sheet member and a pair of elongated comparatively rigid members extending approximately parallelly with the lateral sides of the chair, in supporting relation with the sheet member adjacent its lateral edges parallel therewith and pivotally mounted at one end for yielding inwardly swinging movement, the sheet member bearing in said movement on the base adjacent the elon- HENRY answer-r;- 

